Virginia Code 22.1-314: Decision of school board; issue of grievability; appeal
Decisions regarding whether or not a matter is grievable shall be made by the school board at the request of the school division administration or grievant and such decision shall be made within 10 business days of such request. The school board shall reach its decision only after allowing the school division administration and the grievant opportunity to present written or oral arguments regarding grievability. The decision as to whether the arguments shall be written or oral shall be in the discretion of the school board. Decisions of the school board may be appealed to the circuit court having jurisdiction in the school division for a hearing on the issue of grievability.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 22.1-314
- Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
- Day: means calendar days unless a different meaning is clearly expressed in this article. See Virginia Code 22.1-306
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Grievance: means a complaint or dispute by a teacher relating to his employment, including (i) disciplinary action including dismissal; (ii) the application or interpretation of (a) personnel policies, (b) procedures, (c) rules and regulations, (d) ordinances, and (e) statutes; (iii) acts of reprisal against a teacher for filing or processing a grievance, participating as a witness in any step, meeting, or hearing relating to a grievance, or serving as a member of a fact-finding panel; and (iv) complaints of discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, political affiliation, disability, age, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or military status. See Virginia Code 22.1-306
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- School board: means the school board that governs a school division. See Virginia Code 22.1-1
- Writ of certiorari: An order issued by the Supreme Court directing the lower court to transmit records for a case for which it will hear on appeal.
Proceedings for review of the decision of the school board shall be instituted by filing a notice of appeal with the school board within 10 business days after the date of the decision and giving a copy thereof to all other parties. Within 10 business days thereafter, the school board shall transmit to the clerk of the court to which the appeal is taken a copy of its decision, a copy of the notice of appeal, and the exhibits. The failure of the school board to transmit the record within the time allowed shall not prejudice the rights of the grievant. The court, on motion of the grievant, may issue a writ of certiorari requiring the school board to transmit the record on or before a certain date. Within 10 business days of receipt by the clerk of such record, the court, sitting without a jury, shall hear the appeal on the record transmitted by the school board and such additional evidence as may be necessary to resolve any controversy as to the correctness of the record. The court, in its discretion, may receive such other evidence as the ends of justice require. The court may affirm the decision of the school board or may reverse or modify the decision. The decision of the court shall be rendered no later than the fifteenth day from the date of the conclusion of the hearing. Such determination of grievability shall be made subsequent to the reduction of the grievance to writing but prior to any hearing or the right to such determination shall be deemed to have been waived.
Code 1950, § 22-217.8:01; 1979, c. 298; 1980, c. 559; 1987, c. 97; 2003, c. 187; 2013, cc. 588, 650.